Unapologetic Apologetics

edited by William Dembski and Jay Wesley Richards, InterVarsity Press, © 2001,
280 pages, $27.00 (paperback), ISBN-13: 0-8308-1563-5

This is a book aimed primarily at Princeton Theological Seminary, from where the writers graduated. The book begins by pointing out that in 1943 Christian Apologetics was a required course at the seminary, and in 1944 this course was not even offered as an elective. They go on to say that it would be difficult to find an apologetic course at any denominational seminary today — that “for post-Enlightenment liberalism the very idea of rational argument on behalf of the Christian faith is offensive.” The book then provides 16 essays by a group of seminary students who are part of the Charles Hodge Society at Princeton, affiliated with the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.

Nine of the 16 essays are by Dembski and Richards and respond to theologians who decry the use of apologetics. They deal with things like claims of errors in scripture, naturalism in theology, challenges to the incarnation, feminism and Christianity, universalism, and challenges to design. The essays are well written, academic in nature, and deal with modern theological debates.

The objections to apologetics that are happening in the church today have their roots in the denominational seminaries. Preachers and teachers in preacher training schools will profit by reading this book.